Technology Futures

As we design and build Local Transport Networks for our community clients, we are frequently asked, "Where will the LTP get backhaul?"

LTPs do not need backhaul, because the LTP is not an Internet Service Provider. Put another way, the LTP is a broadband provider, not an Internet provider. Unfortunately, "Internet" and "broadband" are used interchangeably even though they are two different things. In the roads analogy, broadband is the single, high performance road network, and Internet is one of the trucks that use that road.

But that is not to say backhaul is not an issue, as the service providers using the LTP network still need backhaul. While many smaller/rural communities still lack competitive pricing on backhaul, the consolidation in the long haul business has really helped--we are seeing more and better backhaul options in rural areas of the U.S.

Introducing an LTP to a community often drives backhaul prices down and/or creates an opportunity for a long haul provider to open their fiber cable in that community. LTPs aggregate demand and help improve the business case for the long haul providers. We are working in two rural communities right now building new, modern LTP networks, and the existence of the LTP has brought about dramatic improvements in backhaul.

Fourteen major U.S. hospitals are experimenting with trial programs using the Apple HealthKit tools, which provide health and fitness tracking on iPhones and iPads.

I recently upgraded to an iPhone 5S, which came with the Health app installed. The software will track an incredible variety of health and fitness factors. Some of the data requires manual entry and/or a separate health device (like a blood pressure monitor), but right out of the box, the app starts tracking the number of steps and distance traveled in a day, using the iPhone's built in motion sensor. The difference between my level of physical activity during the work week (sitting at a desk most of the day) and the weekend is an eyeopener, and has made me realize that I need to walk more--every day. It is also interesting how much exercise I get on travel days; while it feels like I spend the whole day sitting in an airplane, the distances I have to walk in airports is good news for my health. The realtime graphs turn exercise into a bit of a game, where it becomes a challenge to see if I can beat yesterday's distance/step numbers.

But this is the tip of the iceberg. As more Bluetooth-enabled health monitoring devices become available (e.g. a blood pressure cuff that can talk, via Bluetooth, directly to the iPhone), more and better kinds of data will be available, and this will improve early diagnosis of problems--and in turn, save enormous amounts of money--early treatment is almost always less expensive.

Broadband is still regarded by many as a kind of luxury...."who needs a Gig?" is a question I hear almost daily as Design Nine rebuilds the nation's broadband infrastructure, one community at a time. Broadband and the Internet are not just about Netflix, buying stuff from Amazon, and gaming. Just as the music industry was disrupted by the iPod and the Internet-enabled iTunes store, health care is about to see major disruptions, and those changes will benefit all of us....if we have the right kind of connectivity.

Design Nine helps communities build infrastructure for the future. Give us a call if you want to future-proof your community.

...consider this. Apple sold half a billion dollars in apps during the first week of January.

Think about that. Remember getting in your car and driving to the store to buy software? I do...vaguely. Everyone under thirty would have no idea what I was talking about.

Like it or not, the Internet is transforming the economy. One company (i.e. Apple) sold half a billion dollars of product in one week, and it was all delivered to customers who had broadband connections. No broadband, no sale.

This is a huge challenge for rural America. I just talked to a rural county where they estimate as many of 20% of households are still on dial up. I can pretty much guarantee no young people between the age of 18 and 30 live in any of those areas--they all left as soon as they could, and they probably left the county.

Rural America can't wait.

As the old saying goes, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." Dish Network just brought the fat lady out on the stage, and she is singing Sling TV. It's a new OTT (Over The Top) streaming video service that will include ESPN, Disney, CNN, TNT, and a bunch of other "channels," and I have "channels" in quotes because it is an archaic concept that dates back to the 1950s. But we know what it means.

Here is the money quote from the CEO of Sling TV:

"Millennials don't choose paid TV," said Roger Lynch, who was named CEO of Sling TV LLC. "So we designed a service based on how millennials consume content, with no contracts. You can come and go as you please."

If you are responsible for economic development in your community, ponder that statement. Or better yet, let me re-phrase it for you...."No one under 35 cares about cable TV." Or put another way, if you want young people to stay in or move to your community, you better have Internet capable of streaming multiple HD channels of "TV" over the Internet. It's a quality of life issue that you can't ignore.

Want help getting the right broadband infrastructure in your community? Give us a call (540-951-4400) and ask for Dave Sobotta. We would love to help.